Hikaru no Go Episode #56 Review

As the Go world realizes that Meijin and Sai are playing against each other, Ogata himself finally learns of it as well and becomes quite intense of it. Ogata's an interesting opponent as he's young in the larger sense of the pro playing community and he's intent on taking over many titles. Meijin truly is a stepping stone but he's at least politic about it, something he's not with a particular woman who he does inform that nothing is more exciting or interesting than Go. It certainly makes his priorities clear. When he learns that Meijin is playing online and then that it's against Sai, you can see plainly how much of an effect it has on him.

Similar to the previous episode, much of the focus is on the people watching the game playing out online rather than the game itself. There are tense moments to be had as we watch the representations of Meijin and Sai playing against each other, but it's mostly everyone else that we get to see. The group with Akira learns more about Sai as Akira reveals his playing with him in the past while both Akira and Ogata try to figure out who Sai is based on how they connected with Meijin since he doesn't use email. There are continual leads toward Hikaru but each of them keep pushing the idea that it can't be him for different reasons, which makes their heads spin a little at the same time as well.